Mentorship for Metalsmiths

Binding wire. Dividers. And a good, solid anvil. 
These are all things that make you good at what you do. 

You’re a maker. You create pieces that won’t exist if you don’t make them. 
Your work enriches the world.

But it all takes more than just your creativity and innovation. You need tools. 

These are not crutches. They are not extras.
They are an essential part of the process. 

Why not use tools for your business?
Why not use tools for a healthy creative practice?

. Metal is an amazing medium. What a wonderful way to make a living! -Ginger Meek Allen

What’s possible with a mentor?

  • accountability without shame
  • tracking creative and business milestones
  • discernment of business direction
  • skills for managing an artistic temperament
  • mastering the nuances of commissioned work
  • developing the vocabulary for marketing your work
  • technical problem solving at the bench
  • developing a marketing strategy
  • designing a business that is for you, honoring your own special sauce

THIS is the program I always wanted. -GMA

Ginger Meek Allen started making jewelry in 1991.

dividers-transbkIn the decades since, her work and her business has evolved through many seasons, including retail, custom, and wholesale. Her work has been exhibited and collected worldwide. She also owned and operated an art gallery through which she represented dozens of other artists, in addition to selling her own work and teaching in the studio. Her studio is fully equipped for all types of metalsmithing, fabrication, lost wax casting and enameling.. She is a master of sales conversations, and considers bespoke work to be her superpower. She has mentored metalsmiths at a variety of levels both formally and informally.

A word from Ginger:

After multiple requests and observing fellow metalsmiths seeking a focused way to better their practice, I decided to offer this mentorship program. This is the program I wish I could have years ago. I also have had the benefit of working with a mentor and coach myself, so I know this model works. I’m looking forward to giving back to my industry in this way. 

-Ginger

HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?

  • ASSESSMENT

    step one | ASSESSMENT

    Ginger will provide you with a tool and help you consider all the various aspects needed to assess your business and your creative practice as it is today. (The privacy and propriety of this information is completely secure.) This step is essential to help you development your vision for the future of your practice and your business.

  • VISION CASTING

    step two | VISION CASTING

    Using your assessment from step one as a starting point, Ginger will help you identify your top priorities for expanding your work and your business. She will help you develop your big vision and also assist you with creating a plan for the future, including specific steps for your time in the program. This plan will be about what YOU want it to be, whether that is about business strategy or creative development.

  • MOVEMENT

    step three | MOVEMENT

    Going from where you are to where you want to be is a process of moving through and beyond milestones along the way. Perhaps new habits will start, or old habits will end. Perhaps skills must be learned, or resources must be found. Ginger provides accountability and affirmation, without shaming or coddling.

FOR DETAILS, LOGISTICS & PRICING, CLICK HERE > > >

A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

  • Ginger will always tell you the truth.
  • The specific focus of your work in the program is up to you. Sometimes it’s time for serious strides in business strategy. Other times the priority should be to heal old patterns and develop new skills to function more productively while still honoring how you’re wired. You can use this program for either, or both.
  • It’s a wonderful time to be a maker, practicing an ancient craft with all the gifts that modern technology offers. Ginger will celebrate this with you.
  • This program is not for you if you are not interested in thinking about your work in new ways. This program is also not for you if you want everything to stay the same way it is now.
  • This work is personal and private. Ginger’s goal is to be a trusted source of guidance and accountability for you. Being honest about both where you are and where you want to go are essential to this process.
  • Your results in this work will be directly related to your level of personal investment.
  • Online and other sources for teaching metalsmithing techniques are plentiful and wonderful, but sometimes you need feedback or help with a specific issue at the bench and in the studio, without wading through hours of instructional videos that may or may not cover your specific needs in the moment. Being able to ask a knowledgeable and experienced maker for targeted help will address your needs much more quickly and directly, particularly if this person is a private mentor who is familiar with your skill set and tool repertoire. Ginger is a master metalsmith and a patient teacher with a gift for explaining technique.
  • Ginger is prepared to be open with you and share many of the lessons she has learned, and many of the tools she has developed for her own practice and her own business. Depending on the nature of your Vision Casting, these may include:
    • “YOU ARE HERE” Candid Assessment Tool
    • Understanding the Bespoke Triad (including commission worksheet & project tracker)
    • “Big Why” Revelator Tool
    • The Weekly Sketch (THE Seven Questions)
    • Maker’s Log
    • Custom Pricing Worksheet
    • Recommended Reading List for Metalsmiths
    • Recommended Apps to Make Your Life Easier
    • Session Prep Worksheet
    • Time Balancer (business vs. making)

FOR DETAILS, LOGISTICS & PRICING, CLICK HERE > > >

Ginger accepts clients in the mentorship program by application only. Space is limited.

Questions?

Ginger is happy to talk with you about the program and answer any questions you may have. Schedule a call with Ginger here.

Or, send an email to start a conversation.

 

Ready to apply? 

Please click here to submit your application. Congratulations!